Combatants, such as Special Operations units, are called upon to conduct operations in hostile areas with little or no support immediately available. In these circumstances, the survival of the team often depends primarily on remaining undetected. A problem is the chance encounter with an individual who is, or appears to be, a non-combatant. If the individual is taken into custody, the unit leader faces a difficult choice. If released, the individual would likely reveal the presence of the combatants. The typical result from this sequence of events is an engagement in which the unit may be overwhelmed by a superior force. The captive could be killed to prevent this scenario, but this choice is not acceptable to forces of most civilized countries. Another alternative is to tie the captive up and leave him or her in a concealed location. This avoids the act of killing the prisoner, but might result in his or her death if not discovered within a reasonable time. Taking the prisoner with the patrol presents the patrol with a great risk of compromise should the prisoner run, or make noise that compromises the presence of the unit.
All of these choices are undesirable. Another option is needed. The restraint device described herein provides a viable option. As told in the book Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab, a Special Air Service (SAS) unit on a SCUD missile hunt in Iraq during Desert Storm was compromised in the manner described above. The individual involved in the chance encounter was released and the patrol was subsequently attacked and taken prisoner by Iraqi forces. A U.S. Special Operations had a similar encounter in the same conflict. They made the same choice and the mission was compromised. The details have not been published, but the unit was reported to have evaded capture or casualties. This scenario occurred again recently, this time with disastrous results. As described in press accounts and the book “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell, four SEALs from SEAL Team Ten were on a surveillance mission in Taliban-controlled Kunar province in Afghanistan. The unit had a chance encounter with 3 local persons, took them into custody, and was again confronted with a difficult decision. The unit made the humanitarian choice and released the prisoners. Shortly thereafter, the patrol was assaulted by an overwhelming force of Taliban fighters. Three of the four unit members were killed. A helicopter carrying the Quick Reaction Force sent to assist was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing it to crash, and resulting in 11 more Special Operations deaths. This incident was the greatest single-day loss of life in the history of the Navy SEALs.